


In The Meantime, Rest.

by DarkCellar



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), kylux - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Amnesia, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Awesome Phasma, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Boyfriends, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Brendol Hux - Freeform, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluffy Ending, Fluffy Kylux, Friendship/Love, Gay, Gay Male Character, Good Parent Han Solo, Highschool AU, Holidays, I Ship It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Kylo Ren - Freeform, Kylux - Freeform, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Leia organa - Freeform, Love, M/M, Memories, Parents Han and Leia, Random & Short, Recovered Memories, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Gestures, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Short Story, Sickfic, Soft Kylux, Star Wars - Freeform, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) - Freeform, Sweet, Temporary Amnesia, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 14:39:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12986202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkCellar/pseuds/DarkCellar
Summary: Ben and Hux have been in a relationship for two years, and they love each other very much. Ben would do anything for his boyfriend, and he knows Hux feels the same way about him.But in the blink of an eye, everything changes.Hux gets into an accident that leaves him with a (temporary?) case of amnesia. He has trouble remembering his own name, at first, and he certainly doesn't recall anything having to do with Ben Solo.Slowly, persistently, Ben talks to Hux, trying his hardest to jog his memory, to recall the aspects of their life together that have been lost. During this period of learning, their friendship begins to be restored, although their romance remains cold.Will it be lost forever?





	In The Meantime, Rest.

"So Christmas is next week. Excited?"

"Hardly," Ben answered.

He was sitting in front of his family's brightly lit Christmas tree with his boyfriend, Armitage Hux. The two had been working on homework for several hours, until Ben made them take a break, to sit on the floor and watch the lights blink.

Hux was leaning back against him comfortably, essentially using Ben's chest as a pillow. Ben had his arms cradled around him, as well as a small blanket, trying to keep the easily-cold boy warm.

"What kind of Grinch doesn't like Christmas?", Hux asked.

"This is my least favorite holiday, actually. Even when I was a kid."

Hux turned his head back and looked at him in surprise.

"Really? Why?"

Ben tightened his arms around him and shrugged.

"I don't know. Christmas just seems so fake, so impersonal. The only thing I've ever liked about it were the decorations, and the lights."

"Is that why you've made me sit here for two hours, staring at a tree?"

Ben rolled his eyes, then leaned forward to kiss Hux's cheek.

"Nobody made you do anything, Hux. If you want to get up, go ahead," he told him, while at the same time positioning his legs so that they were wrapped tightly around the redheads own.

Hux grinned and patted Ben's leg. "Kinda looks like I'm trapped here."

Then he said, in a more serious tone, "I can see your point, though, about Christmas. Too commercialized. Actually ALL of the major holidays are too commercialized."

Ben nodded. "We should pick a holiday that nobody celebrates, and go all-out for it. Have a party and everything. Like -- uh, like --"

"What about Leif Erikson Day?", Hux supplied with a grin.

"What the fuck is that? Did you make that up?"

Hux pulled his phone from his pocket and opened up his internet browser, typing in the name of the holiday. 

"'Leif Erickson day is on October 9. It celebrates the Norse explorer Leif Erikson, who is believed to have led the first Europeans through continental America.'",Hux read out-loud to him from Wikipedia.

"October 9? Damn, we missed it!"

"That's okay, gives us more time to plan for next year."

"Norse. Is that like, the Vikings?"

Hux nodded. "I think so, yeah."

"So we get to wear Viking hats? This sounds more appealing by the second."

Before Hux could reply, his phone gave the dreaded text-buzz. He picked it up and opened up the message with a sigh.

"It's dad. Looks like our party is over, babe," he said, disengaging himself from Ben's arms and standing up.

Ben stood up with him, a sad look on his face. Already his arms felt stinging cold with the lack of Hux in them.

"Okay. I'll walk you to your car."

They both went around the living room, gathering up Hux's books and coat, and then headed out the door towards the car.

"So am I picking you up in the morning, or are you picking me up?"

"You're picking me up; my gas is low."

Ben nodded. "Okay. 7:30?"

"7:15. That way we can stop and get some coffee or donuts before."

Ben nodded again. "Sounds good."

Hux threw all of his stuff on the front seat, then leaned in and turned the key in the engine, warming it up.

He turned back around to face Ben, and Ben's arms were around his waist immediately, tackling him against the car. His lips found Hux's the second after that, nearly crushing him with his sweet eagerness.

Eventually he pulled back with a smile, then leaned back in and hugged Hux tightly to him.

"Drive safe, okay? And text me when you get home so I know you made it."

"I will," Hux promised. He leaned in and gave Ben one final kiss on the cheek.

"Love you; see you tomorrow," he said, then got in his car and took off down the street.

\---

Amnesia.

That was the official diagnosis that Ben, finally, heard from his mother, who heard it from Hux's father.

Amnesia.

After Hux had left that night, he had gotten into a head-on collision with a drunk driver. The car had been completely totaled--but that didn't matter. What mattered was that Hux managed to miraculously walk away from the wreckage, relatively unscathed, and ALIVE.

Yet not quite undamaged.

The jarring of the impact had knocked the boy unconscious for a good 15 minutes, and when he finally came to, he was quite confused.

At first, the police and the hospital workers had chalked up Hux's heavy disorientation to shock. But when Hux couldn't tell them his address, or identify his father, or even remember his name, after nearly half a day, the reality was a lot more clear.

"Temporary amnesia," his mother had told him at dinner. Ben was bleary eyed and exhausted; he hadn't been to sleep at all in almost 2 days, now, his worry and stress eating him alive. "Mr. Hux says they don't know yet how long it will last, or even if he'll remember everything at some point. He might eventually recall big things, or maybe bits and pieces of things. Right now, nobody knows.""

Ben had nodded, taking this all in, in silence. It didn't feel real. It felt like some cruel, horrible dream that he was waiting to wake up from.

His mom let him stay out of school for two days, but insisted he go back on the third. At the end of that day, Leia had told him that Mr. Hux (very grudgingly) said Ben could come over and see Hux for a little while, as he had been released from the hospital and was home again.

Ben found that his heart was pounding fiercely in his chest, as he pulled up to Hux's house.

He took a deep breath and rang the bell.

Hux Sr. answered it, looking disdainful as always. He gestured to the kitchen where Hux was sitting in a chair, then sat down in the living room, to (not really) give them privacy.

Ben stood in the doorway and looked at Hux for a few long moments. Physically, there wasn't much wrong with him. The only difference Hux could see were a few cuts around the top of his head, and his left wrist was in a cast, having been sprained in the accident.

The thing that struck Ben, immediately, were Hux's eyes.

Hux's eyes had always been the most beautiful, expressive windows that Ben had ever seen. And they always lit up, so magnificently, whenever they laid eyes on Ben.

But now . . . 

There was no recognition in his eyes, whatsoever. He looked at Ben as he would at any random person dropping in off the street.

Trying his hardest to ignore Hux's father, Ben crossed the room to Hux, and threw his arms around him, hard--

\--but the redhead remained stiff and unyielding in his grip.

"I'm Ben," he said as he pulled away, feeling ridiculously odd at having to introduce himself. "I've been so worried about you. I couldn't come see you in the hospital, but now that you're home --"

Hux moved away slowly, obviously startled by the intensity of this 'stranger'.

"Um, thanks, uh, Ben, was it? Thanks, Ben."

Before he could control himself, Ben leaned in, to kiss Hux. Hux backed away with a yelp.

"Whoa, dude; what the hell? Did you just try to kiss me?!"

Ben blushed and looked down at his feet. "Sorry, he muttered, running his hands through his hair. "I guess you're not ready for that yet?"

"Not ready for it? Why would I be ready for you to kiss me?"

"Because -- because we kiss all the time. I'm, uh, I'm your boyfriend, Hux."

"Boyfriend?! No, you're not. I'm not even gay!", Hux exclaimed, backing further away.

Somehow, the horrified look on Hux's face hurt Ben worse than hearing he had been in an accident, in the first place.

"No, you're not gay. We don't believe in labels, remember? We just said we love each other, and that's all that matters."

Hux shook his head. "Please stop saying 'we'. There is no 'we' here. Look, I appreciate you coming to check on me. And I can accept the fact that we were probably friends. But boyfriends? I can't picture that at all."

By now Hux's father, who had been sitting quietly and watching the scene unfold, stood up and came into the kitchen.

"Benjamin, I think my son has had enough visitors today," he said, placing a hand firmly on Ben's shoulder. "He needs his rest."

Ben looked up at the set expression on Hux Sr.'s face, and at the confused and scared look on Hux's own. So he sighed and nodded, allowing himself to be led from the room and out the front door.

As the door shut behind him, he felt cold, and empty.

And frightened.

\---

Ben went back a few days later, this time with homework assignments from Hux's classes. He was excused from school indefinitely, until he felt confident enough to return.

Hux let him in, watching him uneasily.

"Look, I'm sorry about the other day," Ben said slowly, holding up his hands to show Hux that he meant no harm. "I won't try to kiss you or anything like that again, if you don't want. Okay?"

"Okay. I'm sorry I overreacted."

"You didn't overreact. I should have thought about what I was doing."

Hux shrugged. There were a few awkward moments of silence, and then Hux asked, shyly, 

"You can stay for awhile, if you want. Maybe you can help me with these assignments?"

So Ben settled in to help Hux.

\---

The next time Ben went over, Hux was watching a movie. Ben sat on the couch and watched with him.

Little by little, Hux was starting to trust being around Ben, especially when Ben made it clear that he wouldn't try and make a move on him.

Ben was determined to stimulate Hux's memory, no matter what it took. He took the opportunity to remind Hux of events, people, places, and everything else, in nearly everything they did, or said.

Like now.

"We've watched this movie before. The last time was on Halloween. Remember?"

Hux shook his head.

"No," Ben sighed. "I didn't think so. Anyway we were watching this, and you kept having to jump up to answer the door for trick or treaters. They finally stopped coming at like, 9. We finished the movie, and we went to your room. You were wearing one of those masquerade face masks, with the sequins and feathers. I told you you looked sexy. And then, we . . ."

He trailed off, not quite wanting to finish.

But Hux must have understood what he meant, because his face had turned pink.

"I can't picture that," Hux said, after a while. "It's scary, not being able to remember something so significant."

"Scary's a good word for it. Our, um, our first time, was a little scary. We were _both_ so scared. I almost threw up beforehand, remember? And we actually looked up a how-to guide on the internet."

Hux frowned and shook his head.

"That sounds really awkward and uncomfortable."

Ben sighed. "It was, but it wasn't. It was weird but also incredibly sweet, if that makes sense. And after, we watched The Breakfast Club and ate cold chili. It was cold because we didn't want to risk my loud-ass microwave waking up my mom and having her ask what you were doing there so late. Remember?"

Hux expression changed, and the space between them suddenly felt cold again. It was only a few feet, but to Ben, it felt like the distance between the sun and the moon.

"No. I'm sorry; I don't remember that at all."

Ben looked at him for a long few moments.

"No. No, I guess I can't expect you to remember that."

He stood up and gathered his books, shoving them into his backpack.

"You look a little tired. I'll go; let you get some rest. I'll text you tomorrow, okay?"

Hux nodded, and watched as he walked to the door.

"Ben?"

"Yeah?", Ben answered, without looking around.

"Why?"

He turned slowly, facing him.

"Why, what?

"If I don't remember, and I can't feel for you, what you feel for me, why? Why do you keep coming, why do you keep trying?"

Ben smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"You're my best friend, Hux. You were before we started dating. And I miss that, our friendship. Above everything else, I _miss_ that. And as your friend, I've got to try and help your memory, any way I can. And if all we can be is friends, well, I'll have to accept that."

He quickly pulled his hood up, attempting to hide the tears he could feel escaping his eyes. 

"Goodnight," he said, walking out and shutting the door gently behind him.

\---

"You look awful."

It was several days later, and there had been no discernible improvement with Hux. Ben went to his house every day after school, bringing his assignments. Since Hux seemed largely unreceptive to hearing any more romantic tales, Ben stuck to relatively platonic ones.

Stories about their classmates, their teachers, past field trips, projects. Funny cafeteria incidents.

Yet the more Ben talked, the more painful it felt. Reliving all these things was hard, especially since all of his stories garnered the same result from Hux: a polite, yet totally uncomprehending, stare.

It was harder, still, being in Hux's presence and not being able to hold him. To hug, to kiss, to sit with his arms locked around him. Ben tried to put up a good front, but inside he was reeling in pain.

Apparently his inside had started to manifest itself on the outside, as well, if Phasma noticed how awful he looked(felt). They were sitting at a corner table in the lunchroom, by themselves. Ben had bought a sandwich and chips from the lunch line, but after a few bites, found that he didn't have much of an appetite. He sat there, absently tearing up bits of bread and stuffing them into his empty water bottle.

"I'm fine," Ben lied, automatically. 

"Are you sure? You look a little tired. Have you been sleeping?"

"Like a baby," Ben replied, lying again.

If Phasma knew he wasn't being honest, she didn't call him out on it. 

"So after school, I was thinking of going over to the skating rink. You wanna come?"

Ben smiled. Going to the indoor ice skating rink has been something that he, Hux, and Phasma did at least once a month. None of them could skate; rather, there was a large area with bleachers where spectators could watch the individual skaters and the various hockey teams practice.

They liked to buy a bunch of snacks, sit high up in the bleachers, and give pseudo-Sportscenter-like commentary on all that was going on below. It was always a hilarious (if cold) way to spend an afternoon.

The last time the three had done that-- was before Hux's accident.

Suddenly, without warning, Ben put his head down on the table, sobbing. Everyone was staring in their direction, but Ben didn't care. Everything that he had been holding in for weeks came gushing out, and Ben was powerless to keep it back.

Somehow, Phasma got him up and out of there. She walked him to his car, guiding him into the passenger seat. She dug his keys out of his pocket, turned on his car, and drove him to his house.

Both of Ben's parents were still at work. Phasma unlocked the front door, then guided Ben to the couch, covering him with a throw blanket.

She went into the kitchen and made him a strong cup of tea. She watched him as he drank it down, slowly, patting his back and soothing him.

This entire time, he had not stopped crying.

When he was done with his tea, he muttered, wearily, "My throat hurts."

"You haven't been taking care of yourself, Ben. A lot of people at school have the flu; you're probably coming down with it."

"That's perfect," he said, scowling. "Just what I need."

"Maybe -- it is," Phasma said, timidly. "Maybe this will force you to take it easy and rest for awhile."

"Rest," Ben repeated the word, dully. At the same time a strong chill passed through him, and he pulled the blanket tighter around himself.

Phasma watched him, slightly concerned.

"Thank you," Ben said, in a low voice. "You're a good friend, Phasma."

Phasma smiled, leaning over to hug him.

"You're okay now?", she asked as she pulled away.

Ben drew in a long, shuddering breath and nodded.

"You'll be okay if I go back to school?"

He nodded again. "You can take my car, if you want."

"That's alright," she said, standing up. "I'll catch the bus. If I hurry I can just make the next one."

She hesitated, came back, and kissed Ben on the forehead. 

"Everything will be alright," she said confidently. "In the meantime, rest. REST. And if you still feel funny in the morning, stay home. I'll bring you your homework, just text me and let me know, okay?"

He nodded. He swung his legs up onto the couch and curled into a ball, closing his eyes. He felt drained; mentally, emotionally, and physically depleted.

"Love you, Phasma," he murmured.

"Love you, Ben," she said softly, shutting the door behind her.

\---

The next morning, Ben had a high fever accompanying his chills. His entire body felt like a pincushion, and it was all he could do, to pick up his phone (from what seemed like miles away, on the dresser) and text Phasma.

Ben's mother called him into school, and made him a tray consisting of tea, cough drops, medicine, and Kleenex. She also found the heating pad and plugged it in behind Ben's bed, adjusting her son so that it rested on the small of his back.

She kissed him and left, leaving him alone for the day.

Ben drifted in and out of bad dreams all morning, and by mid afternoon he was so pained and frustrated that he felt like crying.

Around 4pm, he heard the front door open, and thought that maybe his mother had come home early.

He was beyond surprised when he looked up, and saw his father standing in the door instead.

Ben's father Han was a long-distance freight driver for a local company. His hauls typically kept him away anywhere from 3 to 6 days a week. This last job had been his longest one, yet, traveling all across the United States. Right now was the first time Ben was seeing him in almost a month.

"Hey, kid," he said, coming into the room with a smile. He pulled Ben's desk chair to his bedside and sat down.

"Hi, dad."

Han reached out and put a hand on his son's forehead, frowning. "Your mom told me you were sick. You must be; your forehead feels very warm. Do you have medicine?"

Ben pointed to his tray sitting on the desk.

"What about water?"

Ben looked; his water glass was empty.

Han got up. "I'll go get you some more," he said, taking the glass and leaving the room. Ben took the opportunity to sit up more fully, leaning against the wall.

Han came back and watched him drink down the cool water. He was quiet for a few minutes, then he said, somewhat awkwardly,

"So, it's been a while since I've seen you, son. Anything you want to, um, talk about?"

Ben just barely kept from rolling his eyes. It was clear that his mother had told Han about what had happened with Hux, and the way Ben was (not) coping with it.

"I don't want to talk, dad," he said. He laid back down and closed his eyes, hoping that this would be a hint for Han to leave.

He didn't.

Instead, he said, softly, "I know you must be hurting, son. And you're like me, you know. You're not good with the whole 'feelings' thing, or the talking stuff. But I want you to know, if you need to talk, you can talk to me. Even if it's 1 in the morning and I'm dead asleep. Even if I'm on a haul; just call me, I'll pull over, and whoever I'm delivering to will just have to wait a little while for their stuff. Alright?"

Ben nodded. He didn't open his eyes, and he was afraid to speak, because he felt that if he did either of those things, he would start to cry. And he had been doing enough crying, lately.

Han patted his son's shoulder and stood up. "I'll be downstairs in the living room; if you want anything, holler for me, okay?"

Ben nodded, then risked speaking to say "Thanks, dad."

He waited until his dad was gone, them turned onto his side, sighing.

After awhile, he drifted off to sleep again.

\---

Ben remained sick for several days after, staying in bed and sleeping for hours at a time. Both of his parents kept him stocked up in medicine and fluids, and by the 3rd day, he felt well enough to try eating something solid.

Phasma came by after school to bring him his homework, and chat a little about what was going on at school.

On the afternoon of his 5th sick day, Ben felt well enough to sit in his chair, rather than his bed, and watch a movie on his laptop. He had just gotten the film going, when his mom called up the stairs,

"Ben! You have a visitor!"

Ben heard footsteps coming down the hall towards his room, and sighed, thinking it was either his uncle Luke or his uncle Lando, whom his mother had promised would visit sometime before the week was out.

So he was beyond surprised when Hux walked in, instead.

"Hux? What are you doing here?"

Hux sat down at the edge of his bed, facing him.

"You didn't come by for a few days, I wondered what happened to you. The school sent that girl, the tall blonde girl? Phasma, I think? They sent her over with my school work. She told me you were sick."

"You didn't have to come over," Ben said, feeling guilty.

"I wanted to. Actually, I _had_ to. I -- I found something, in my closet, that I wanted to talk to you about."

He pulled his backpack from over his shoulders, and opened up the large pocket. He pulled out something that was familiar, and made Ben grin.

It was a project that he had done for art class, a year ago. It was a framed mosaic picture, made up of a lot of tiny little pictures. The tiny pictures were all shots of him and Hux together, laughing, kissing, holding hands, on dates. Put together, the small pictures all formed the image of a heart.

Hux held this up now, staring at it. "All the pictures -- why do I have this? I don't remember anything but I **know** I'm not artistic, or talented, like this. I couldn't have made this."

Kylo nodded, taking a corner of the picture and looking at it.

"I made it. It was for art class. The topic was "What's the most important thing in life". I chose, Love. So I made this. You saw it and kept bothering me until I finally let you have it," Ben said, smiling fondly at the memory.

"If I wanted it, if I 'bothered' you for it, why was it buried in my closet?"

"Because of your dad," Ben answered him honestly. "He doesn't approve of us. He never did."

"What about your parents?"

"My dad, he thinks we're just experimenting. But he's not against it. And my mom has been supportive since day 1."

" _Were_ we just 'experimenting? Because the pictures -- they don't look like an experiment. They look real."

Ben smiled sadly. "I want you to know something, Hux. Even if you don't remember, or if you NEVER remember; you are, er, were, you were the one thing in my entire life that I was never confused about. That I never doubted. Ever."

Hux looked again, carefully, at all the pictures, then at Ben, as if trying to connect the images to the boy sitting in front of him.

"You put a lot of effort into this," he said finally, setting it down. "I wish I could remember."

He stood up.

"Do you feel well enough, to go for a walk, maybe?"

Ben stood up as well, eagerly, smiling. "I think so." He opened his bedroom door. "Wait downstairs for me, okay? I'll get dressed and be right down."

Hux nodded and left. Ben began to dress.

\---

"It's really warm out, for February."

The two had walked all around the neighborhood, slowly, to accommodate for Ben still being a bit shaky on his feet. Eventually they had turned down the hill and towards town, to the few mom and pop stores they used to frequent in warmer weather.

Ben told Hux stories about the places they passed, little anecdotes about the people who worked in different places, or the things they had bought.

Hux listened attentively, trying desperately hard to remember even the tiniest details about what Ben told him.

"I appreciate you trying to help, Ben.", he said, out of a silence. "You say we were best friends? I can believe that. You're an incredibly nice person."

Ben blushed, but didn't say anything.

They walked past a display window featuring a variety of hearts, teddy bears, and cards.

"Valentines Day is coming up," Ben remarked as they continued down the sidewalk. Aka Hallmark Day."

Hux smiled a bit at the obvious sarcasm in Ben's voice. 

"Not your favorite holiday, eh?"

Ben shook his head. By now they had reached the park and sat down on the bench, overlooking the water.

"I'm really not a fan of any holiday, Hux," Ben told him with a sigh. "Everything is far too commercialized."

Something, some small spark of recognition, clicked inside of Hux's mind, at Ben's words. If Hux's brain was a message board, a very tiny, yet strong, lightbulb flashed insistently in the corner. Slowly, he turned towards Ben and said, haltingly,

"Except . . . except for--for--Leif Erikson Day?"

Ben looked at him incredulously, and as hard as he tried to hold it back, a wave of hope surged, hot and bright, in his chest.

"Yes," he said quietly. "Leif Erikson Day, October 9. He --"

"-- he was a Norse explorer? Norse, meaning Viking. Like, wearing the pointy hats."

Ben risked reaching out to grab Hux's hands, trying (and failing) to keep his excitement at bay.

"Do you remember what we were doing, when we talked about that?"

Hux furrowed his brow, concentrating.

"Christmas -- tree?", he finally said, sounding uncertain. "You were--WE were, on the floor? You had your arms around me, and we were watching the lights on the tree?"

"Yes!" Ben exclaimed, gripping Hux's hand tighter. But a strong wave of sadness came over him, as he recalled the next part.

"You had to go. I walked you to your car. I said, text me when you get home, and you said ok. I kissed you goodbye. I waited and waited, but you never texted me. I just thought you forgot. And I went to pick you up for school in the morning . . ."

"7:15, not 7:30. Something -- coffee and donuts?"

Ben nodded. "Right. But I got there and you didn't come out. I beeped, I texted you, I called. Finally I got out to knock. Your neighbor came out and told me what happened."

Tears had started in Ben's eyes, but he didn't bother to wipe them away as he continued on.

"I drove to the hospital, but they wouldn't let me see you without your father's permission. He didn't want me to see you. He said--he said that if you hadn't been with ME so late, you never would have gotten into an accident in the first place."

The tears came harder now, and Ben buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking under the weight of his sobs.

"And I couldn't argue with him, Hux. Because he was right. He IS right. If you had been at home, if I had come to see you, instead, this wouldn't have happened to you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Ben was surprised, when he felt Hux's arms go timidly around him, patting his back gently.

"It's not your fault. It's not my fault. It's nobody's," he said, soothing him.

Then he held Ben out from him, and said, somewhat teasingly, "Now, calm yourself. I may not remember things, but I'm fairly positive that I don't like public displays of emotion."

Ben laughed, using his sleeve to wipe his eyes. "You're right, you don't. One time at school I slipped on a waxed floor and cut my elbow on the edge of a locker. I was cursing so loud they heard me 5 classes down. But you told me --"

Another lightbulb.

"I told you -- I told you, 'Real men sing through their pain'?", Hux supplied, hopefully.

"Yes! You did! So I started to sing 'Welcome to the Jungle', at the top of my lungs. Remember? Mr. Jinn came out of his class to yell at me, and YOU started to laugh. So he sent us both to the principal."

Hux started to laugh, now. "I'm starting to remember! Everything is very fuzzy, and a lot is still missing, but it's coming back!"

Ben reached out and hugged him, hard. 

"My doctor said I'm clear to go back to school on Monday, if I feel like I can handle it," Hux said, quietly, when Ben let go. He looked at him and said, "When are you coming back, from your flu?"

"Looks like, Monday," Ben answered, with a hopeful grin. "Do you want me to drive you?"

Hux nodded. "I'd like that. If -- if you WANT to, that is."

"I want to."

\---

Monday came, and the two sat outside in the car, waiting for the warning bell to ring. Ben had gotten special permission to be late to his classes, so that he could walk Hux to all of his.

"Now there's nothing to be nervous about," Ben told him. "You have a lot of friends and teachers that will be happy to see you. But if you can't answer their questions, or don't want to, then don't. They'll understand. Okay? And Phasma is in your first two periods, so she'll be there for you, too."

Hux nodded.

"And don't be upset if things don't come back right away. They will, in time. Just be patient. After all, some of OUR memories came back."

"I'm not sure if everything will fully come back, Ben," Hux said. "But if it doesn't, we're just going to have to make new memories, alright?"

Ben nodded and smiled. "New memories. I like that."

Slowly, hesitatingly, Hux leaned across the seat, put his hand on Ben's cheek, and gently pressed their lips together.

"Starting with that," he said, shyly. "Our 'first' kiss."

Ben blushed, then wrapped his arms around Hux, hugging him warmly. He glanced at his watch, noting that it was about time for them to head inside.

"You're ready for this?"

Hux took a deep breath, and tightened his grip on Ben's hand.

"You're gonna be with me?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm ready," Hux replied; and the two walked into the building together.


End file.
